Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon Forced 150-Person In-Person Worship During COVID, Fined 3 Million Won

Suspected of Violating Seoul City Assembly Ban Administrative Order Five Times

Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon (67) of Sarang Jeil Church, who defied the government's administrative order banning gatherings during the COVID-19 outbreak and held in-person worship services, has been fined.

According to the legal community on the 13th, the Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judge Lee Seok-jae) sentenced Pastor Jeon, who was indicted for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, to a fine of 3 million won.

Former Pastor Jeon was prosecuted on charges of violating Seoul City's assembly ban administrative order five times by gathering about 150 believers for in-person worship on July 18, 2021, when face-to-face activities at religious facilities were prohibited under the 'Social Distancing Level 4' enforcement, continuing until August 15 of the same year.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Pastor Jeon gathered about 150 believers for in-person worship on July 18, 2021, when face-to-face activities at religious facilities were banned under the 'Level 4 Social Distancing' measures. He was prosecuted for violating Seoul City's administrative order banning gatherings a total of five times in this manner until August 15 of the same year.

Regarding the charges, Article 49, Paragraph 1 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act stipulates the measures that the Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, provincial governors, mayors, county governors, and district heads must take to prevent infectious diseases. Article 80 of the same law states that violating these measures can result in a fine of up to 3 million won.

Article 49, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2 allows for "restriction or prohibition of entertainment, assemblies, rituals, or other gatherings of multiple people." Furthermore, Subparagraph 2-2 specifies that "managers, operators, and users of places or facilities with a risk of infectious disease transmission must comply with quarantine guidelines such as maintaining visitor logs and wearing masks."

In response, Pastor Jeon's side argued, "The prosecution's charges are based on Subparagraph 2's 'ban on gatherings,' but the Seoul mayor issued an order under Subparagraph 2-2's 'quarantine guideline compliance order,' so the two orders cannot coexist, and thus no crime is constituted."

However, the court rejected Pastor Jeon's argument, stating, "Seoul City's administrative order corresponds to a ban on gatherings, and it is not impossible for it to coexist with the quarantine guideline compliance order."

The court also ruled, "Pastor Jeon's claim that there were procedural defects, such as Seoul City failing to notify residents before issuing the ban on gatherings, was not accepted, and substantively, the administrative order was deemed lawful."

Meanwhile, there has been much speculation regarding Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon visiting a conservative Christian rally he led after Won Hee-ryong was announced as the new Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Minister Won stated, "I only went to share my faith testimony," drawing a line against political interpretations. However, controversy arose over remarks targeting Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, made at the rally.

In response, on the 8th, Pastor Jeon issued a statement on behalf of the church, saying, "The deliberate defamation of the Gwanghwamun free right-wing forces by left-wing forces has reached its peak," and added, "I hope the pro-left forces will no longer make the mistake of diminishing themselves through acts of anxiety and fear."

Furthermore, Pastor Jeon criticized Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who called Minister Won's prayer meeting testimony "a foolish act of attending an event by an extreme right-wing pastor," stating, "The disarray of the right-wing camp since the impeachment crisis of former President Park Geun-hye has led to the current weakness of the ruling party, and the reality of many remaining silent is heartbreaking."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.